Pump



Dc. 29, 1931. 1- M. PERSONS 1,838,443

PUMP

Filed Feb. 5, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 29, 1931. L. M. PERSONS ,4

PUMP

Filed Feb. 5. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 would brator cum; a L

operation Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES .PATENTVFOFFICE LAWRENCE M. PERSONS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 COOK ELECTRIC COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS PUMP Application filed February a new and advantageous type of control, he-

ingcharacterized among other things by its simple and economical operation.

It will be observed that the control herein disclosed is exceedingly accurate. The principle of operation relied upon permits of certain features of safety and protection which were not heretofore obtained in the normal automatic starting and stopping of the pump.

Specifically, the pump is electrically driven and is of the type known as the via wherein the moving part is dri n by an electromagi iet, the circuit of which is automatically made and broken by a switch operated by a solenoid armature, or spring. Devices of this type were heretofore impractical in that they required frequent repair. The present invention provides for a pump which may be used for a considerable period of time without involving attention and overcomes certain difficulties of the prior art which limited the practical usefulness of a pump of this type.

This invention is particularly applicable to liquid fuel feeding systems for pumping liquid fuel to an oil burner or to a carburetor of an internalcombustion engine. It is essential to minimize, as far as possible, the amount of oil necessary to store within the building while feeding the oil to the burner. Provisions requiring storage tanks 'or the like in the basement or elsewhere in the building are undesirable. It is also essential to provide-means for automatically startin and stopping the pump in accordance wit thedemand of theburner, but it'will be noted, ifthe piping from the on the other hand, that supply tankto the burner-should become broken, or if any leakage should; occur which in p p P 11 1 "m g on nue, i

permit the oil to fiowout'fasterthan,

until" all of oilfrom the storage 5, 1926. Serial m. 86,127.

tank is pumped out into the basement or room in which the leak occurred. This is, of course, an exceedingly dangerous condition, and many fires have resulted therefrom.

Ihave found that it ispossible to so arrange the normal automatic control of a pump as to care for such a situation. While this improved control is disclosed in connection with a magnetic or vibratory type of pump, it will be understood that it may be also applied to other types of pumps, or even provided as an appliance to a fuel feeding system apart from the pump.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an automatic control of the above type so that in the event the pressure in the discharge line of the pump lowers or increases beyond predetermined points, the pump will automatically stop. The pump is permitted to operate in its normal mannerto feed oil continuously as it is consumed by feeding directly discharge line of the pump and as long as the pressure remains within predeterminedlim its the pump continues to operate; In'the event, however,

the fuel is not consumed as rapidly as it is By virtue of this-arrangement, greater safety I and protection may "he obtained i'nthe nor p p 41 H In order to those skilled tion, I shall nowfdes oribe,

ing drawings, which formsapart In the drawings: 4 Figure 1' is aj d iag nam n feedingsystem embed 11g:-

hereof mal automatic" control "of a Tush-feeding 1e a of fuel under pressure into the pumped, the pressure in creases, thereby causing the pump to stop.- if a leak should'oc'cu'r in or in the pipe leading to pump, the pressure dejh' art how to constructfandpractice ny nveiis sfple ed ms. bodiment in connection;with tliewaccompan Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a pump used therein;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the pump, taken at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the pump, illustrating the valve head with the cover removed to show the valves.

In the accompanying drawings, my invention is disclosed in connection with a fuel feeding system for feeding fuel to oil burners. It will be observed, however, that the invention is capable of embodiment in other types of fuel feeding or liquid supply systems. In the system illustrated, fuel oil is adapted to be drawn out of a reserve supply tank 5 through a suction pipe 6 by pump 7 and pumped through a delivery pipe 8 to a burner 9.

Pump 7 comprises a tank or receptacle 10 having a cover plate 11 fastened to the open end by means of screws 12. A resilient piston in the form of metallic bellows 14 is adapted to be secured to the underside of cover-plate 11. As indicated in Fig. 3, a valve housing 15 is suitably placed upon the top of cover-plate 11. The valve housing may be furnished with a suitable inlet nipple 16 and an outlet nipple 17, the inlet nipple communicating with the inlet valve chamber 18 and the outlet nipple 17 communicating with an outlet valve chamber 19. In these chambers any suitableform of valve may be employed, but I prefer employing flap valves 20, as shown, which are held in position over their ports by rigid vertical pins 21. The inlet connection 16 communicates directly with a vertical inlet passage 22, over which the inlet valve 20 is adapted to be held. A similar vertical passage 23 communicates with valve chamber 18 and the interior of piston 14, and on the suction stroke of this piston, permits a charge of fuel to be drawn into the interior of the-piston. The outlet side of the valve housing 15 is similarly constructed, being furnished with a vertical passage 24, through which the fuel oil is pumped on the delivery stroke of the piston. The other vertical passage 25 receives the fuel oil for discharging it into the delivery pipe 8.

The motor for operating piston 14 is carried by a suitable frame construction comprising a pair of spaced frame members 26 suitably bolted to the underside of cover plate 11 by means of bolts 27. On these frame members 26, a motor winding 28 is carried. The movable part of the motor comprises a core 29 secured to the underside of the bellows piston 14, as indicated in-Fig. 2. I prefer making core 29 of laminated construction and extending a centrally'disposed bar 30 therethrough; the upper end of the bar 30 may be riveted over a plate 31 suitably sealed to the base of the lower section of bellows 14. If so desired, a series of magnetic plates 32 are disposed about motor winding 28, these plates being carried by the U- shaped bracket 33. Any suitable form of motor may be employed, although I have illustrated a reciprocating solenoid type of motor because of its particular adaptation to the structure herein shown. It will be observed, however, that a rotary type of motor may be employed, or, on the other hand, a

motor may be employed which is of the reciprocating type but not of the magnetic type. Broadly, the frame members 26 serve to carry the motor in a suitable location with respectto the piston 14, and, at the same time, provide a unique structural arrangement permitting easy assembly and providing a simple and inexpensive construction.

The lower end of frame members 26 aresecured together by a channel 35 suitably bolted in place by a plurality of bolts 36. Upstanding lugs 37 are formed on channel 35 for receiving in pivotal relation a switch 38, which may be of the mercury type. A mercury switch is, however, not necessary because other types of switches may be advantageously used. A cross pin 39 extends between the lugs 37 for pivotally receiving a carriage 40 to which the switch 38 is suitably secured. arriage 40 may have a lug 41 furnished thereon to receive a link 42. A manually operable lever 43 is adapted to be pivoted at one end, as indicated at 44, to one side of the frame and to be pivoted at 45 to the upper end of intermediate link 42. An opening 46 is formed in tank 10 to permit the manually operated lever 43 to extend therethrough so as to be accessible from the exterior of the tank. The arrangement of this circuit controlling mechanism permits the weight of links 42 and 43 to be placed upon one end of the switch 38. The switch is there by assisted in its movement by gravity to closed position.

The lower end of piston extension 30 is adapted to engage the opposite end of switch 38 on the downward or suction stroke of the pump. This action momentarily moves the switch to open position to open the circuit to the motor. A transverse pin 47 extends from said extension 30 to engage the manually operated lever 43 in the event that the piston is permitted to move upwardly the entire extent of its delivery stroke.

It will be observed in Fig. 2 that the electrical connections for the pump comprise the conductors 48 and 49 leading into a conductor box 50 and from there extending downwardly to connect with binding posts 51 and 52. A suitable conductor 53 leads from; binding post 51 to the motor winding 28. On the opposite side the conductor 54 leads from the motor winding to thebinding post 55. A flexible lead 56 extends from the binding post 55 to the switch 38 on one side, and a sec nd flexible lead 57 extends from the other I at the burner 9, or by a leak in the delivery pipe 8, the bellows 14 will contract'slightly, thereby drawing the projection 30 upwardly to allow the switch-38 to pivot toclosed posi tion. The motor circuit is thereby closed and the solenoid core 29 is drawn downward- 131 into the winding 28,'thereby producing the suction stroke, of the pump and drawing a charge of. fuel oil through the suction pipe 6 into the bellows 14. This downward movement drawing core 29' into the winding-28 will againcause the extension 30 to engage one end of switch 38, thereby opening the switch. Hence, it will be observed that the pump may be kept in constant operation during normal operation. The pressure preferably remains below four pounds, because, if it does not, the resili'ency of the bellows will not return the extension 30 upwardly a distance sufliciently to release this extension from one end of the switch. The switch is then obliged to remain in open position. On the other hand, if the pressure drops below three pounds, the pump is automatically rendered inoperative. This feature is accom- 'plished by the piston moving upwardly on its delivery stroke sufliciently to permit pin 47 to engage the manually operated lever 43 and to cause this lever to move upwardly therewith and thereby tilt the switch to open position. The pump is thereby disabled and cannot be operated again until the attendant movesjhe lever 43 downwardly and holds it in this position until the pressure in the delivery pipe 8 reached or exceeds three pounds. .Thereupon, the pump will a ain work automatically. The advantage o providin such a safety feature will be appreciated w en it will be remembered that considerable danger is incurred by a leak or break in the delivery pipe, which otherwise is apt to permit the pump to continue pumping oil out of the reserve pipe supply tank and flood the floor of the basement and possibly cause a fire. By

placing the bellows piston under tension, the controlling .mechamsm including switch 38 may be made to operate in response tothe presv sure conditions inthe system. The resiliency of the piston returns the piston to its normally contracted position when the pressure therein lowers to a point permitting this resiliency to overcome the pressure. Consequently, this permits the feature of-safety and accuracy to be embodied in the usual form of automati 'control without renderingthe control mechanism intricateai With a simple control mechanism accuracy is assured.

It will be observed that the control mechanlsm opens the switch 38 at the extreme limit of movement of either stroke. Normally, the

weight of lever 43 and link 42 assists the switch 38 to pivot to closed position by gravity: Lever 43 is provided with the dual function of cooperating with the piston to open switch 38 when the pressure lowers below the .minimum predetermined limit, and to close I wish it to be understood'thatthe control I mechanism herein shown may be employed in the system separate and apart from the pump.

Various embodiments andvariationsof the details herein described and shown in the drawings may be made without departing from the. spirit and scope of my invention.

1. A fluid supply system having a piston for controlling the supply of fluid thereto, an electric motor for'operating said piston, a pivotally mounted switch for the motor circuit adapted to move by gravity to closed position andto be moved by the piston to open position, said piston opening said switch when permitted to operate the maximum length of its stroke.

2. A fluid supply system having a resilient piston for controlling the supply of fluid thereto, an electric motor for operating said piston, a pivotally mounted switch for the motor circuit-adapted to move by gravity to closed position and to be moved by the piston to open position when the pressure in the system reaches a limit.

3. A fluid supply system having a resilient piston for controlling the supply of fluid thereto, an electric motor for operating said piston, a pivotally mounted switch for the motor circuit adapted to move by gravity to closed position and to be moved by the piston to open position when the pressure in the system reaches a predetermined minimum limit, and a vmanually operated resetting lever for closing said switch against the action of said piston.

4. A fluid supply system including a piston, 'a' motor for operating said piston, and a switch for controlling themotor, said piston opening said switch when permitted to operate the maximum length of its suction. or delivery strokes.

5. A pumping unit comprising the combination with a pump, a motor for driving said am the first to suggest em-.

predetermined minimum hers secured to the cover plate for supporting said motor in driving relation with sai pump.

6. A pumping unit comprising the cmbifi nation with a pump, a motor for driving said pump, a housing for enclosin the pump and motor, a cover plate to whic said pump 1s attached, spaced frame members secured to the cover plate for supporting said motor, and a switch piv'otally connected between said frame members.

-In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

' 1 LAWRENCE M. PERSONS. 

